First Google for Jobs, now Hire: How Does Google's New ATS App Stack Up?

In May, Google launched Google for Jobs, stirring curiosity (and maybe rattling some nerves) about its expansion into the jobs space, and what it means for job boards, recruiters, and the future of recruitment advertising. Last week, they continued that expansion with Google Hire, an applicant tracking system (ATS) app aimed at small and mid-size companies.

So what’s with Google’s interest in the recruitment business? For starters, it’s a multi-billion dollar global industry, and Google isn’t in the habit of leaving money on the table. With 3 million businesses already using G Suite, there’s a ready-made market for a candidate management platform. Then there’s the data. When Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in December of 2016, they unlocked a treasure trove of information for over 400 million professionals, putting the pressure on Google to up its game with business customers. Hire aims to do just that.

In a demo released July 20th, Google VP Bogomil Balkansky gave inquisitive viewers a tour of the platform, which has the interface and the navigation that’s expected from a G Suite app. Since Hire is built on top of existing tools, it can give more functionality at a lower price point. Emails and interviews sync with Gmail and Calendar, so you don’t have to toggle between apps to capture contact information and communicate with candidates.

In addition to the candidate management platform, there’s another big selling point: building a talent pipeline through Google’s search capabilities. Recruiters and hiring managers can hunt for candidates, revisit previous applicants, and fill in missing data, all from the same place. The demo clearly shows how an unstructured query is transformed into specific request using the intuitive power of Google’s search.

"Hire and G Suite are made to work well together so recruiting team members can focus on their top priorities instead of wasting time copy-pasting across tools," said Google Product Manager Berit Johnson, in the blog post announcing the release.

Google is targeting current G Suite users who may not have a talent management solution in place yet. Hire is unlikely to compete with robust enterprise ATS giants like Taleo, iCims and ADP, but it will instead compete on usability, simplicity, and ease of integration. Companies targeting similar businesses include SmartRecruiters, Lever, Workable, Jazz, and Greenhouse. Some caveats: users must already use G Suite, have 1,000 employees or fewer, and be US-based–for now. Learn more here about features and pricing.